Fleet of Doom
Fleet of Doom: A Voltron Movie Special features Lion Voltron and (Vehicle) Voltron teaming up to defeat the combined forces of Viceroy Throk and Zarkon. It was originally broadcast in 1986. Unlike regular episodes of Voltron: Defender of the Universe, this special contains some original animation in addition to re-purposed footage from the Japanese sources. As the Lion Force and Vehicle Force were based on entirely unrelated Japanese shows, there was no pre-existing footage of the two Voltrons working together. Similarly, because this special does not fit the continuity of either Beast King Golion or Armored Fleet Dairugger, it has never been broadcast in Japan. The special was produced in a co-partnership by World Events Productions and Toei Animation. The special is 48 minutes long. Plot Summary The Galaxy Garrison's energy base has been discovered! King Zarkon and Viceroy Throk have joined forces to create a "Fleet of Doom" to devastate the base, as its destruction will (somehow) spell the end of the Galaxy Garrison. The Lion Force and Vehicle force are immediately called to come to the base's defense. While en route, the Castle of Lions (in spaceship mode) is stealthily boarded by Haggar who uses her magic to steal Princess Allura's soul away to a dimension where fear and imagination define reality. Keith vows to rescue her, and aided by the ghost of King Alfor, travels to the fear dimension to rescue her. Keith confronts the demons of his childhood to confront Haggar, but it is ultimately Princess Allura who appeals to the hidden goodness inside Haggar to set them free and return them to the Castle of Lions, which has arrived at the energy base. The blue and black lions join the others in battle with multiple Robeasts. Even after combining into Voltron, they're getting beat pretty badly. Meanwhile, the S.S. Explorer encounters a meteor storm that slows them down. Finally, the other Voltron arrives at the energy base and forms Voltron immediately after deploying. They help the Lion Force get the upper hand, until Prince Lotor unveils a secret feature of his Robeasts... The Robeasts combine to form their own super robot! And it can form its own "blazing scimitar"! The combined efforts of the two Voltron forces take it down. The two teams hang out after a well-earned victory. Featured Characters * Keith * Lance * Pidge * Princess Allura * Hunk * Jeff * Rocky * Wolo * Chip * Ginger * Krik * Lisa * Tagor * Shannon * Zandee * Cliff * Cinda * Modoc * Marvin * Hutch Other Arusians *Coran Planet Doom * Zarkon * Lotor * Haggar * Viceroy Throk * Commander Cossack Others * Space Mice Production Details In 1986, World Events had Toei Animation produce some additional footage to create this crossover television special, which had entirely new animation, containing very little recycled Golion and Dairugger footage. Made for the international markets, this special has not been released in Japan. This special is the only instance in the original series where both Voltron incarnations appear together. While not named in the film, Lotor's combining robeast has retroactively been called Lo-tron. Jeremy Corray has said the name Doom-tron also works. http://forums.voltron.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/329103823/m/7763924557?r=2473945557#2473945557 DVD Details There were three DVD releases of Fleet of Doom * The first was a Voltron.com exclusive, released on Region 1 DVD in early 2007. It was published by World Events Productions and was distributed exclusively online via Voltron.com for $19.95. This initial run had compatibility problems with older DVD players. It is not known how large this run is, but according to WEP's Jeremy Corray, it was a "very small run"Voltron: Defender of the Universe - DVD news: Announcement for Voltron - Fleet of Doom:Limited Edition, 2008-02-26, accessed 2009-06-21. * After selling through this run, 1000 more copies were created, with improvements that fixed some of the earlier compatibility problems. These copies were also sold through Amazon.com's Advantage system (with price increased to $24.99, though you could still buy it from Voltron.com for $19.95). * Another DVD release of Fleet of Doom went to traditional retail on July 28, 2009BestBuy.com store listing, accessed 2009-06-21 with new cover art. It contained fewer Special Features than previous releases (three minutes of "Animation Bloopers" and the first episodes of both Lion Force and Vehicle Force Voltrons). It also contained trailers for Alteil, Galaxy High, and Giant Robo, as well as one for GoLion which emphasized its uncensored nature''.'' In late summer of 2009, Voltron.com began offering the DVD free with any order. It is unknown which release will be shipped. Special Features * Character Art Slide Show (89 slides, shown for 5 seconds each with Voltron soundtrack playing in background) * Original Series Openers - theme sequences for both Lion Voltron and Vehicle Voltron * Man-on-the-Street interviews - "Jeremy from Voltron.com" accosts people in downtown St. Louis * Voltron Fan Films ** Includes a fan-made theme sequence for the planned-but-never-produced Albegas Voltron * W.E.P. Cartoon Previews ** Wikipedia:Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs ** Wikipedia:Denver the Last Dinosaur ** Vytor: The StarFire Champion ** Voltron: The Third Dimension Trivia * The events of the film possibly transpire some time before the episode Dinner and a Show. * Sven is not seen in the flashbacks of the Lion Force reminiscing about their time training alongside the Vehicle Force members. * When Prince Lotor combines his Robeasts, he recites the same lines spoken by Keith when the Lion Force forms Voltron. * The Monsterpocalypse Voltron: Defender of the Universe Battle Miniatures Game is loosely based upon this film. It is more chess-like in that each side has an equal number of Doom or Galaxy Alliance ships, that the five Voltron Lions on one side are counterbalanced by Lotor's Robeasts on the other, and that each side can utilize all of its Lions or Robeasts to form Voltron or Lo-Tron respectively for a fairly evenly-matched duel. This does however mean that Vehicle Voltron is absent and that Lion Voltron can dispatch Lo-Tron/Doom-tron with one stroke of Blazing Sword (and a very good attack roll) to win even if the entire Galaxy Alliance is wiped out and Fleet of Doom otherwise virtually untouched. References Category:DVD releases